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mikc333 – :
Excellent, without knowing composition, I figured in two seconds is just oud and sandelwood. Good sillage and longevity and you never get bored of it’s smell. Only montale I like so far.
twensetrern – :
Reading the reviews i thought i found the holly graal of synthetic oud…. Unfortunately all i smell is a linear smell of burned plastic and betadine liquid… Very potent and Long lasting hospital smell… Notice i m not New to oud perfumes, i actually own a lot People cant stand smelling like oud palao, oud nuit 36,oud 27 etc… Moral lesson; NEVER BUY PERFUME BASED ON REVIEWS!! TEST EM FIRST!!!
HassyKinasami – :
so far the best Montale ever tried. dark, deep, mysterious, long-lived.10 / 10 could be my new signature.
petrucha-85 – :
My wife simply melts over this one. Guess thats pretty much all I need to say haha.
But honestly this is one of my favorite ouds. It is very dark as the name suggests. Almost has a dampness that I would struggle to explain. My favorite from the world of Montale and Mancera.
Scent: 10/10
Longevity: 10-14 hrs.
Sillage: Moderate
Value: A
Versatility: B-
Bottle Design: D
reloIrrecepor – :
This for me is a classic signature scent. Not excessively loud on my skin but you are aware it is there for a good few hours and so is the person next to you.
Sandalwood mixed with a medicinal Aoud note, full bodied thick and simple yet comes accross complex if that makes scense?
Masterfully blended, simply breath taking, completely unisex and utterly unique.
Simpley the best woody/sandalwood fragrance I have ever put my nose to.
Big props Montale you have created a legend at least to me.
Edit…
Please god… please no reformulation talk… 🙁 Ive got the gold bottle with black bubbles type graphics, ive noticed the new bottle is just gold without graphics. Plrase dont tell me this has been reformulated now aswell…?
filosof-2 – :
Magnificent smoky/oudy fragrance, one of the originals by Montale.
However I get very poor longevity and performances, maybe it has been watered down.
Edit : After 4 sprays, nobody can smell it…
WINNER130 – :
Bats are black, fly only during the darkest hours and squeal in such a way that your blood freezes.
Blackbirds are black, fly only during the day and sing like a nanny cradling a baby.
If you take a can of Montale’s Dark Aoud aiming at bringing home a bat, wou may get a blackbird instead for you to deal with.
I like Oud and I like dark fragrances. I confess I blind bought Dark Aoud. Why? Well…
– It has got “Dark” in the name.
– It has got (A)oud in the name.
– It has got Oud, Black Pepper, Leather, Sandalwood and Vetiver in the notes.
I was not expecting to buy a “bully ugly vampire bat” like Swiss Arabian Dehn El Ood Malaki. But I was quite far from imagining that this fragrance darkness was closer to Disney’s ugly duckling instead of the Wicky Witch of the West.
Now that I gave rein to my disappointment, let me tell you that Dark Oud is a very nice Oriental Oud fragrance.
– It’s not Count Dracula’s reincarnation in terms of darkness,
– it’s not the dark side of the moon,
– It’s not even Malefica cooking dark potions in her cauldron …
It’s just a typical Montale western Oud well designed fragrance, trying to please a lot of oriental scent lovers and really not caring about using a misleading name to fool a bunch of Trolls that prefer to smell dark caves rather than flowering forests. I am included in that bunch of Trolls. You may tell me that it isn’t so but in my opinion Dark Aoud is ment for Hobbits and Dwarves, not for Orcs and Trools.
I do think that this fragrance is more “sandalwoody and leathery” than “oudy”. That’s just an opinion and I like the heavy sandal and leather as well. The scent is quite linear – that’s not a defect – with a bit of an evolution towards the sweet during the dry down, maybe due to olibanum or incense even if those notes are not listed.
In summary it’s a very agreable wearable oriental woody fragrance with some very good quality ingredients, an above average performance and with the traditional Montale’s golden can presentation.
Remark – I have the recent golden bottle and not the older one with black circles over gold. Probably the juice has been reformulated and watered down together with the current only gold color can release.
My math for Dark Aoud goes like this:
Scent Opening: 8.0 (my judgement; the oud note is a bit medicinal)
Scent Dry Down: 9.0 (my judgement)
Longevity: 9.0 (10 hours+ with two sprays)
Sillage: 8.0 (more than 8 feet at its peak with 2 sprays)
Uniqueness: 7.0 (not unique to me)
Compliments: 7.0 (not a serious compliment grabber; Typical of oud fragrances)
Wearability: 7.5 (Use it day or night during winter and fall, and in cold spring nights)
Versatility: 8.0 (You may use it in almost any event, although some perfumes are more adequate for specific situations. Beach, workout and kindergarden visits are ruled out. I consider it to be unisex)
Quality: 8.0 (my judgement; After spraying, there is an Initial unpleasant alchool burst)
Presentation: 7.0 (efective and simple. The can container lacks a bit of class for a niche player)
Price: 7.0 (100 ml non tester for 60 Euros + shipping)
Overall rating: 7.77/10.00
I recommend this fragrance if you seek a nice wearable oriental woody and leathery scent. if you are looking for a DARK and BOLD oriental oudy perfume, just keep searching…
zrp040speagoessenda – :
pure asphalt smell on the burnt road by the sun in the heat …
Danians – :
this starts off *very* woody, as one might imagine. after being on the skin awhile, i get black pepper and a really nice vetiver. further down the line, hints of amber come out. i like this, but not really sure it’s for me. excited to try as many montale ouds as i can though!
epinamycapmex – :
Great fragrance, but I have imagined it will be darker, less approachable. I do like some flirt with difficult fragrances, – you getting to know them, getting some irrational response sometimes. So yes, I was imagining dark mysterious story.
It is exactly similar with Sultan Al-Oud Al -Rehab, which is probably the only oil from Al Rehab that I liked. Same chocolaty nuances in the middle, powdery softness, tiny bit of seduction… Dry, still smooth sandalwood.
Lovely. But no drama, that I was hoping for!(
It is extremely wearable oud with good character. Charmer, while I was praying for a hooligan.
leo 163 – :
Did a blind buy of this because I do love oud and I do love wood… and I’m testing it out today at work but definitely I’m enjoying it so far and so did my roommate this morning when I walked out… so, so far it’s a thumbs up for me.
trands – :
Great no none-sense oud fragrance, could be a bit linear but high quality nonetheless, smells amazing on very cold winter nights. smells very middle eastern and definitely not for everyone [do not blind buy sample first].
takes me right back to Dubai’s traditional souk with all the oud and sandalwood smells, great longevity and projection, overall one of my most favorite ouds alongside with Diptyque Oud Palao.
Vascoo – :
It is indeed pure aoud and sandal wood. No powder, no rose, nothing else. slightly leather. In first days/weeks it had a strong alcohol smell, not it smells divine. I get many compliments.
SERGMECHENIY – :
The correct notes are::
Sandalwood, Oud, Black Pepper, Saffron, Vetiver, Teakwood, Leather and Grey Amber.
This is a fragrance for real OUD lovers. Either you have it or you don’t.
I love it.
sheker187 – :
This is maybe the ultimate badass woody based fragrance. Tons of smoky woods and some leather nuances, harsh and raw. It evokes a very dominant, masculine vibe and has excelent longevity and projection.
Dark Aoud is not for everyone, very hard to wear and like. It is a fragrance for connoisseurs, you might get some raised eyebrows wearing this stuff around.
7/10
Ravenheart – :
even if i´m a huge, really huge montale/mancera fan …
this is rubbish, plastic burnt rubber … simple! no other words, no charm, no noble thing within
aslan – :
Reading these reviews, I am wondering if we all tried the same fragrance. The sample I had was unbelievably awful – it smelled identical to rubbing alcohol and actually made me gag.
Excisttig – :
No-messing, no-rose, no-frills oud, without apologies. It’s unisex, but reeky and uncompromising, to a degree some may dislike.
Dark is just the pure, sharp, astringent, old-fashioned fabric sticking-plaster aspect of oud – the mediciney, resiny kind – which I happen to love, but it makes no attempt to cosy up to you with anything more elaborate, or any delicate spicing tricks or floral flourishes. So, therefore, you may not find it the most exciting thing ever.
The oud itself seems synthetic-ish, so it’s strong but not quite three-dimensional – there are none of the stinky cowpat notes which some more organic ouds can splatter you with at the start – but on the flip side, this is not quite as rich and mellow on the dry down as realer ouds either. I think I’ll probably be using this to add extra oud oomph to layer into other things rather than wearing on its own. Still, for me, the opening is almost exhilaratingly astringent and sharp and antiseptic – no compromises made, or even offered.
Reasonable longevity – 5 to 6h – but it does get a bit more acrid as time wears on, with tinges of gasoline and rubber impinging on the top. They don’t ruin things, at least for me, but this is not gentle or ingratiating at all. Still wearable by women and in most weathers though.
ETA: a few months in the closet seem to have mellowed this one out a bit – it seems a bit less harsh and more manageable on further testing. Hope this doesn’t mean it just dies away to nothing in a few more months, though.
zhe465speagoessenda – :
UPDATE: Yep, this is awful on me….I can’t put my finger on it but there is something awfully synthetic and nose searing in this and I can’t put my finger on it. It’s almost like a burnt rubber, or burning plastic smell. Like something synthetic is catching fire. It doesn’t project very far either you really got to put your nose to your skin to smell this but when you do that’s when you get the sharp synthetic smell. This is honestly just awful on me. I was hoping a second go would bring forth some redeeming qualities but, NOPE!
Next up on my list of Montale samples is Dark Aoud…
This one is just OK to me. What I like about it is that it doesn’t have an unbearable rose note in it like most oud fragrances do (i.e. Black Aoud by Montale, Incense Oud by Kilian, etc.)
However, there is something “synthetic” and a little nose searing in this too that I dislike. There are definitely elements that I like in there but I still get a note that is unpleasant to me. Is it common for a lot of oud fragrances to have a “rubber” smell or “band aid” smell? I get that a lot in oud fragrances….almost like a funkiness that I can’t quite put my finger on.
Anyhow, it’s ok, but I don’t think I’d ever be able to wear this one. I’ll have to revisit it again though as I keep putting my nose to my wrist which tells me there’s something I like in it but I’m not quite sure.
ALSO: There is a faint, faint resemblance to CDG Wonderwood here, but only a few notes, especially as it dries, you’ll take a smell and it’ll be slightly reminiscent of Wonderwood but it doesn’t have any of the other goodness of Wonderwood.
misterios999 – :
Picked up a sample of this from Notino’s…..
This fragrance reminds me of Aoud Vanille from the house of Mancera (Montale’s sister store/brand). Rosy but not completely floral, dark even slightly sharp but not harsh, sweet but not syrupy.
I love the masterfully blended notes of Sandalwood, Oud, Black Pepper, Saffron, Vetiver, and Leather. With these notes, you get the leather but a bright rosy feel as the dry down emerges. Afterwards, this beautiful sweet slightly powdery aroma envelops and it’s very intriguing.
Dark Aoud, again reminds me of Aoud Vanille; Not sure if I need this since I have Aoud Vanille….we’ll see! Overall, great fragrance!
…..so tempted to get a bottle!!
stas1972_72 – :
Very good fragrance, although its very dark as indicated by his name. It’s suitable for those who are self-confidents. Longevity is poor compared to other Montales fragrances, I get around 6h, and for the projection, it didn’t project very well, its more like a skin scent after an hour.
* I’ve sprayed myself only one spray one the arm ( in the store ), so It might change with other people. It will have better performance if its sprayed on clothes.
** Ive sprayed it among with Black Aoud on the other arm, so it might be the reason why im not smelling it strong enough.
Scent : 7,7/10
Projection : 6/10
Sillage : I didn’t have the real opportunity to smell it.
This is a very pleasant fragrance from the Montale house, it’s for sure in the cathegorie of oud fragrance ( we can smell really good the oud ) and it has an oriental vibe.
++ For me, nice !
dynya-maklayd – :
Wow this is great! Reminds me a little of Mancera’s Aoud Vanille without the vanilla sweetness. I love Aoud Vanille and I love this scent too.
This is a classic Montale/Mancera fragrance – oudy, warm, dark, mysterious. It may not put a more accomplished nose like François Demachy, Francis Kurkdjian or Dominique Ropion out of business, but it is very good for what it is – a warm, dark, Arabian scent that has been adjusted to suit non-Middle-Eastern preferences.
I’m quite happy that there is no overwhelming rose note in this fragrance. Rose and oud are a common (and supposedly harmonious) pairing, but it is nice to find an oud that is rose-free for a change. Actually, it’s more than nice – it’s a huge relief.
This is one of those rare situations where there was one spray on the back of my hand from a 2ml sample, then the online purchase of a 100ml bottle as soon as I’d checked that I also liked the drydown (kind of unnecessary since this is as linear as most Montale fragrances). No doubt in my mind as soon as I’d smelled it. I can’t guarantee you will have the same experience. But for me this had an instant appeal.
To my nose, this is a more masculine fragrance, due to its woodiness and lack of rose. But I can see how it would appeal to women too, because it is such a great scent. It might suit brunettes in particular, because of its darker, more mysterious qualities.
I find it funny that many people share an irrational belief that warm, dark, woody fragrances like this can’t be worn in warmer weather. There is no actual reason for this belief – it’s just a belief based on faith, almost like a religious belief. But do you think people in the Middle East or India don’t wear their oud scents because it is hot? Of course not. They wear their heavy, warm scents whenever they like, because it is almost always hot there.
So many people now accept the modern Western (and traditional Arabian) belief that there is no such thing as a masculine scent or a feminine scent, yet they cling to the old prejudice that there some scents can only be worn in winter and others can only be worn in summer.
ahiyagaloek – :
Its a great perfume with strong oud and sandal wood. Though if you wear it no one else can smell it other than your self……
CepLaN – :
Sorry, too feminine to me.
Smells a lot like Wonderwood, only for women.
Glad I bought a sample first.
a250792 – :
Starts off so leathery, you’d think you’d just settled into the front seat of a luxury European car, but it does improve as the agarwood and spicy florals develop on the skin. Not for those who like fruity sweet fragrances, this is absolutely not your gig. For those who appreciate chypre floral and vintage fragrances, this is an interesting alternative for the wintertime.
ReddyVela – :
To me this is mostly-well, almost entirely-about oud and burnt wood. And old leather gloves.
I can’t imagine wearing such a scent in spring or summer.
shuba-duba-obana – :
I have a sample of this fragrance and had the pleasure of wearing it today. Dark Aoud is not at all what I expected, which was an extremely heavy and dense perfume. Instead what I experienced was a heavenly resinous, subtly sweet Oud. The quality of this fragrance is superb. It lasted for many hours and had impressive sillage. Simply beautiful and full bottle worthy, it is a “love” for me!
jokercp – :
This is more complex than Arabian oud Asalat Al Oud
Good smell, projection is good & longevity is perfect
Zim91 – :
Note are:
Top notes Saffron, Black pepper
Mid notes Amber, Teakwood, Vetiver
Base notes Leather, Oud, Sandalwood
I find the smell reminescent of teahouse, very warm, conforting, relaxing, but serious. It’s a simple smell, easy to wear. Love it!
papaja – :
Oud, sandalwood, & musk (even if not mentioned). I smell a slight hint of coffee as well. Very slight. I like it.
TarGetInMe – :
Montale Dark Aoud is true to name in that it definitely evokes a certain darkness. Its only listed notes are oud and sandalwood, but I definitely get more of a vetiver/oud mix, myself, with some of the characteristic dirtiness of each, with some of the fresh side of vetiver as well.
Dark Aoud is frankly a raw, dry expression of the principal Montale DNA that’s often discussed–the generic, dark oudlike essence that many associate with the brand. Imagine that enhanced with perhaps a touch of vetiver and sandalwood, and there you have Dark Aoud. Though probably synthetic, it strikes me as very essential, for some reason.
Needless to say, this is mainly suited for colder weather wearing, and for men, but it’s a classic case of it working fine when and for whom the wearer wants.
It’s mellow enough in its dry down to be regarded as sophisticated but unfortunately I find it unpleasant enough to not regard it as something that I like, but something I could take or leave, even if I had access to it for free.
Performance seems exceptional, as with most Montale fragrances, and in that respect the value is there if you love the scent, at circa $100 for 100ml on Notino, its usual discounted spot.
6 out of 10
Kumarr – :
Sprayed 2 shots this morning, one on my sweater, the other on my neck, its 15 hours later and I am still getting compliments and enjoying it myself. In a crowded cinema had someone several rows away ask me as I walked by what I was wearing, they said it was the most exotic scent ever, I will agree. In love… To me this smells like a men’s cigar club full of old leather and stone columns with a hint of whiskey and sandalwood. An intellectual scent.
dmitrii111 – :
More then 35 days on clothes. About 24h on skin ( with 3 sprays )
Do i really need to say more. Oh yea, this dont give you a headache , is not sweet and you can breathe.
vsg990InsuffBooni – :
I was pretty darn excited when I received this one the other day that I slapped on a few sprays last night. A few hours later I was struggling to smell it on my skin. I figured, hey maybe it’s just because it’s night time. So, here I am wearing it again today, applied it at 7am and it is now 11:30am and it is barely detectable. Don’t get me wrong, this is a fantastic fragrance, it’s just horribly fleeting. I never thought I’d be saying that about a Montale creation.
Moorporbuck – :
I immediately perceived the odor of an old leather jacket, like a biker’s perfecto, mixed with some spices and a mild touch of incense. At first, it was quite masculine. Of course there was also a predominant smell of wood, but guaiac rather than oud and sandalwood. As the first few minutes passed by, a metallic scent emerged that was not necessarily very pleasant. Unfortunately, a moderate smell of ammonia started to predominate after about 5 minutes. This persisted for about one hour. This was quite unpleasant. After that, the smell became less aversive but still not very interesting. It became more powdery and more feminine.
Longevity and sillage were weak.
karigo1971 – :
One of the the nastiest smells i ever tried.
What do you expect? There is only two explained notes and the scent is far more different from the expected mingle.
Yes, you can smell oud but, there is a metallic/plastic and very annoying vibe from start to end.
It just smells like a cable reel which is melded under the summer sun in the noon.
A real cruel scent with very powerful sillage and longevity but hence the scent is nasty, this is another minus point for this crap.
Two thumbs and other eight fingers down.
bucha23 – :
Dark Aoud opens strong with Montale’s signature synthetic oud backed up by a punchy bitter leather note. It is very dry with almost no sweetness. After about the first hour mark, the leather gives way to the sandalwood and, together with a pinch of saffron, in a slow process, the scent tames down the bitterness giving way to a slightly sweet woody note, but leaving the oud as the star. Strong effort and a pleasing smell from start to finish, in both bitter and sweet forms.
Scent: 8/10
Longevity: 10/10
Projection: 8/10
dmitr10 – :
I LOVE the smell of this fragrance. oud, sandalwood, bit of leather & spices.
but I just cannot recommend it in it’s current form.
new bottles (without the black circles) are very-very weak. well, it still starts nuclear, but it only lasts around 2-3 hours.
1 hour good sillage and just skin scent after that.
what a shame…
old bottles: 10/10
new bottles: 6-7/10
ps: other famous Montale fragrances have been reformulated as well. Black Aoud for example… that one lasts also 2-3 hours maximum.:(
kykysik – :
I have been branching out smelling some of the Montale offerings. I do like this one as it is not like the 100000 other oud and rose combos ive smelt before. This is pretty simple and masculine. I couldnt see any type of woman pulling this off.
Its Oud Wood, Wood, Sandalwood, more wood, dry spices and saffron with some more wood. I must say its actually pretty nice and I am sure the perfumer has a trick in there that is not being disclosed, as they should.
This house is getting my attention more and more as its the 5th one I have sampled out of there 100 plus offerings.
I got great longevity and silage was moderate. Overall I think I just may pick up a bottle of this before the winter. Perfect scent for the winter blues 🙂
herringboness – :
Good dry woody oud, in the style of TF oud wood. I did not find this to be as powerful as Black Oud, but it’s definitely sufficient. It’s a great, simple oud scent for those who might not be into a strong rose accord (Black Oud), and it’s a great value for the money. Recommended.
Heetriope – :
I had high hopes for this one. The notes here list “agarwood” and “sandalwood”, two favorite scents that seem somewhat incompatible; I’ve combined both in essential oil form before and have found that, no matter how conservative I am with the oud, it always overpowers the buttery softness of sandalwood. So I was interested to experience how the pros do it and ordered a sample, along with samples of Bois d’Argent (fantastic!) and Tobacco Vanilla (have not tried yet).
Didn’t like it. I realize there is a great deal of variety in ouds, but this didn’t remind me of any I’ve encountered. Further, I get NO sense of sandalwood at all from this. Finally, there is a weird note underlaying it all that was a bit too chemical for my tastes… in fact, it even reminded me slightly of the dreaded Secretions Magnifique (though not nearly so unbearable). It’s like an odd notch in a stereo EQ – some missing frequencies – that make a familiar song seem foreign and off-key. I disliked it enough that I applied some genuine oud to fill up that clinical undertone. So, a miss for me.
виталя81 – :
montale – dark aoud is a scent i have heard mentioned on more then one occasion so when i had a chance to sample it it was a no brainer
right off the start you can tell this scent is a one line hitter based on the note break down exactly what you get in the opening is what you will experience for most of the wearing
its balls to the wall oud is very masculine and not toned down for a western market thus making it very authentic smelling and heady and its sandalwood doesn’t smell to synthetic but unfortunately the dry down has a very sharp not to pleasant oud accord which isn’t as nice as the opening and middle which over time has a almost sweet vibe once the odd zing grows on you
even tho its a very linear scent and most i think would find it boring its still a scent that has it appeal so if your into woodsy accords being the main players then this ones for you and should be on your wish list
on to the next
ps longevity is above average and projection is good just make sure you dont over spray as it will clear a room
gedrh – :
@lvguowei
if yours is Paris version why you said is watered down?!!!
spiderbuber – :
@Midoh I have the paris version. After some research on this, found that if your box has the previous montale store address, then it is very likely to be original, but if with the latest shop address, most likely it is a watered down.
tiger2300 – :
I bought this online from a renowned shop and I should say that it’s a very weak scent. longevity is really poor. Probably I’ve got the watered down version !!
vru12 – :
@lvguowei
did you buy the Montale Paris or Montale International Design?
сюня – :
I just got one bottle from some online shop, the bottle is all gold instead of gold with black circles. And the smell is unbelievably weak and airy and faint and dry, no depth no development.
For someone who want to buy it blind or have a sample and want to buy a full bottle: Think twice! Your chance of getting a watered down version is very high!
I hate reformulations !
Alexxandr – :
I recently got a sample of Dark Aoud from Parfum’s Raffy. It’s an incredible dry woodsy fragrance and very long lasting. I put some on early afternoon yesterday and could still smell it this morning before I took a shower…a little goes a long way.
I’m wearing it now as I type this and I wish I could smell like this all the time. Great for cold weather wear and possibly for warmer temperatures as well.
top-mike – :
Yesterday I was attending the Louis Vuitton Christmas party in Vienna. I was passed by an interestingly dressed well groomed man while i was sipping a coctail on the mens floor.
While he was passing he was followed by this intriguing fragrance, powerfull, head turning but also a bit offensive in a good way :)… I emediately know its and OUD based smell but since i did not know him I did not want to ask…
Later on that night he passed me again and had to stop him to find out what he was wearing… he smiled and said Montale Dark Oud and actually wen to his clutch to pull out the bottle and show it to me… I think I need to get one 🙂 he also recommended Red Oud saying he swaps between the 2 for winter…
If someone has this one or the red one and want to swap? I have RASASI La Yuqawam and YSL la nuit pour homme (pre furmulation bottle) to offer…
regards S
chirik77 – :
@thatmakesscen
I bought two bottles of Dark Aoud in the previous Place Vendôme store in Paris about 4 years ago.
Didn’t know it had changed since…
Edit march 2016 : i actually saw the new golden bottle without the black circles. Maybe the juice has also changed…
afrasiyab – :
@Titiparis –
Can you please tell me how old your bottle is and where was it purchased ?
I love Dark Aoud but stopped myself from purchasing it once I heard Montale was watering down their juice.
Thanks
70201 – :
Starts with Oud rubbing against Sandalwood with smokey and leather notes slipping out through this ‘friction’ of woods. I also smell a catchy saffron and pepper touch at first. A bit medicinal.
Then Oud and Sandalwood find a more harmonious compromise and Dark Aoud seems warmer and rounder.
This makes me think of an elegant beast being tamed, not that wild but I imagine a sensual and sly dark fawn.
Pretty masculine according to me. Sharp, dry and almost solemn.
Usually lasts 6-8 hours on my skin with a stable sillage. Some people find it heavy and a little aggressive when I wear it, still.. most ask for more and want to sniff it again…
vitaliy75 – :
I bet this is how Groot smells.
seneo – :
I like it. Interesting scent, very pleasant to my nose. But versatility is really low… I can’t imagine wearing this anywhere but in my own home. My wife says it smells like an old attic. I get that. But I still enjoy it.
This is a great example of a fragrance that can be appreciated by someone who is open minded and/or has a more developed nose, but could be completely hated by the masses. Does that matter? Not really. But we’re social creatures, and I for one don’t want to be the guy who walks into a restaurant or party or whatever and smells like an attic.
But I don’t mind smelling like an attic by myself. I find it quite enjoyable in fact.
8/10
dart veider – :
This fragrance is by far the best smelling aoud hands down! I just can’t get enough of this smell. there are times when i just open the box just to take a smell of this stuff. It has a very strong opening but it is the smell of sophistication, maturity, class. there is nothing bad about this fragrance at all. I just wish this one could be worn in spring and summer but unfortunately it is only wearable in colder weather like fall and winter otherwise this would be my signature scent. It is definitely my favorite frag though! 10/10 a must buy for any fragrance fanatic just amazing juice.
kloyd – :
This smells delicious on me. Not masculine at all. Very powdery, creamy and sweet. I love it. One of my favorite Montales.
filanishe123 – :
Since perfume became an obsession, Montale Dark Aoud, Black Aoud and Full Incense have always been on my horizon; I knew one day I’d have to know. Given their very limited availability even in Toronto – a city now half a million larger than Chicago and on track for 10 million people in ten years’ time – and the fact Montale neither ship to Canada nor answer their email, I had held off until now. There was always something just a bit more collectible, more compulsive to come first. A dubious reputation for hype over quality among the hardcore perfumistas exceeded only by Creed and Bond No. 9 was also a consideration.
I started with Dark Aoud.
But first two words for the perplexed concerning Montale, reformulation, and the merits of linear development:
Some commenters to this thread expressed concern their bottle might be the result of a change to the formula resulting in a pale version of a former powerhouse. This is a not unreasonable concern given the vagaries of IFRA restriction, the specter of EU regulation, and the less then candid attitude of most perfume houses toward their most loyal enthusiasts.
In this instance I think it is unlikely. Neither of Dark Aoud’s key themes in oud and sandalwood – or rather, “oud” and “sandalwood” – will have been affected by IFRA restrictions imposed since that time. By contrast, Montale is admirably clear as to the difference between concentrations offered in store (45% for regular buyers) vs the more consumer friendly concentration for products sold online (28% and 35% depending on the fragrance). Given the evident confusion this difference elicits among that part of the market capable of finding Montale’s Facebook page, or this one, but unlikely to plumb the depths of the firm’s website, they should consider making this distinction entirely obvious when providing samples.
But as I’ve said, they don’t answer their email so I wouldn’t hold my breath on this one neither.
As to linear fragrances, this is neither a good thing nor a bad thing but a question of taste, expectation, and cultural practice. While not a Middle Eastern exclusive, Dark Aoud strikes me to be a good emulation of the e